3D Printing STL files

- Oct 26, 2018-

3D Printing STL files

Introduction

The STL (Standard Triangle Language) is the industry standard file type for 3D Printing. It uses a series of triangles to represent the surface of the solid model. All modern CAD (Computer Aided Design) software allow you to export their native file format into STL. The 3D model is then converted into machine language (G-code) through a process called "slicing" and is ready to print.

Step 1. Understand the STL resolution

The STL file format uses a series of linked triangles to recreate the surface geometry of a solid model. When you increase the resolution, more triangles will be used, approximating the surfaces of the 3D model better, but also increasing the size of the STL file.

Step 2. Choose the right exporting parameters

You can change the resolution of your STL files by altering the tolerance in your CAD software. When unsure, selecting the "high" preset is the safest option for generating an STL file that is suitable for 3D printing.